SAUDI EXPATRIATES

Any employer who breaks this rule will face a fine of up to SR20,000 and a ban on recruiting domestic workers for up to three years. Trending: Emergency Siren test in Saudi Arabia on November 3, Here is what residents should know

The ministry published the Guide to the Rights and Obligations of Domestic Workers, a lengthy document that outlines how employers and workers should treat each other. The guide makes sure that domestic workers in Saudi Arabia are treated fairly, have their rights protected, and work in a safe place.

The guide guarantees several rights for domestic workers, including:

➤ No payment of fees: Employers can't charge workers for hiring them, getting an iqama (residence permit), a work permit, or moving them to a new job.

➤ Wages: Workers must be paid their salaries according to the unified employment contract signed with the employer.

➤ Rest time: Workers are entitled to at least 8 continuous hours of daily rest and one weekly rest day agreed upon in the contract.

➤ Leave: After two years of continuous work, workers have the right to one month of paid leave if they renew their contract.

➤ Travel ticket: Workers are entitled to a return ticket to their home country every two years at the employer’s expense.

➤ End-of-service pay: After four years of continuous service, workers receive one month’s salary as an end-of-service benefit.

➤ Sick leave: Workers can take up to 30 days of sick leave per year with a valid medical report.

➤ Document rights: Workers have the right to keep their passports, iqamas, and personal documents; employers cannot confiscate them.

The guide lists several legal professions for domestic workers, including:

Domestic worker, private driver, home nurse, cook, tailor, butler, supervisor, house manager, home guard, personal assistant, farmer, physical therapist, and home coffee maker. The ministry may add other jobs that fit under domestic work duties. Most Viewed: Saudi Arabia cracks down on recruitment offices for violating labor laws

Workers must follow certain responsibilities, including:

✅ Performing their duties properly under the employer’s supervision.

✅ Taking care of the employer’s property and tools.

✅ Avoiding any verbal or physical attacks on the employer or family members.

✅ Respecting the privacy of the home and not disclosing family secrets.

✅ Do not quit your job or work for someone else without a valid reason.

✅ Follow Saudi laws, Islamic principles, traditions, and public morals.

Employers are also legally required to make sure that the workplace is fair and safe:

✓ Signing an official contract that the ministry has approved.

✓ Providing suitable housing and food, or alternatively, providing a financial allowance.

✓ Letting the worker talk to their family whenever they want.

✓ Paying for the worker's legal and residency papers.

✓ Paying the agreed-upon salary every month on schedule.

✓ Providing health care and making sure that the worker has rest hours and official vacations.

✓ Refraining from designating hazardous or degrading tasks that could compromise the worker's dignity or health. Recommend: Saudi Arabia enforces Saudization on 4 health professions

The regulations include strict penalties to prevent violations:

🔘 Fine: Up to SR20,000 for each violation.

🔘 Ban: Employers may be banned from hiring domestic workers for up to three years.

🔘 In serious or repeated cases, the ban may become permanent, and penalties may be doubled for repeated violations.

These measures reflect Saudi Arabia’s commitment to protecting the rights of domestic workers, ensuring justice, safety, and human dignity in all employment relationships, and creating a fair and organized domestic labor sector. See Also: New iqama renewal rules in Saudi Arabia for expat workers